troubled | e.d.

eight

ethan

"tessa, can i trust you to lock the doors and not say a single word to dolan, or do i have to stay and wait for you to finish your paper?" i hear richard's voice say as i continue to tidy up the front desk with a small feather duster in hand

"just go, dad. i'm pretty sure he's leaving too."

he's quiet, then i hear him mumble. probably worried that i'm going to attack his daughter, or something. i roll my eyes and continue with straightening out the visitor's clipboards.

moments later, richard comes out from his office and heads straight for me, face stern and serious.
"i have dinner plans. i'm leaving, but i expect you t be on your way out in ten minutes. finish up your job, don't utter a word to tessa, and get out of here. got it?"

i nod. "yes."

"good," he straightens his jacket before grabbing his briefcase from the floor and walking out, glancing over his shoulder every couple of seconds.

when he's gone and i see his headlights disappear, i drop the feather duster and make my way to his office, where she's sitting behind his desk and computer.

"how are you getting home?"

"drove separate this morning," she replies blandly, not breaking her focus from the computer screen. "and you're not supposed to be speaking to me."

"fine," i hold my hands up and go back to my boring job of dusting literally everything i see in sight.

only five minutes later, i see the office light turn off and she emerges from the dim hallway.

"i'm leaving."

"oh," i furrow my eyebrows. "you're early."

"yeah, but you have to leave too. i have the keys," she holds up a different key ring than the one richard carries everywhere.

"okay, fine," i mumble, grabbing my stuff from behind the front desk.

i follow her out and she locks the door after making sure all lights are shut off. the hot summer night mixed with the cicadas reminds me of when i was younger.

"goodbye!" she calls out, holding up a hand as she makes her way to a white mini cooper in the corner of the lot.

i climb into my own car, about ready to turn the key in the ignition when i see that her lights still aren't on. and she's been in the car for probably a minute longer than i have.

i open my door and lean up out of my seat.
"hey! you good?"

she doesn't hear me and i see her fumble around with the ignition some more. finally, she spots me and gets out of the car.

"my lights aren't turning on."

i sigh. "want me to try?"

"they're literally not turning on, ethan. there's nothing you can do that i haven't tried."

checking the watch on my wrist, i frown. "so..."